


What is UST?

by mmouse15



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 21:57:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13327182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmouse15/pseuds/mmouse15
Summary: Steve has no idea how Bucky knows things, but he does.





	What is UST?

"Hey, you ready to go?" Bucky was leaning against the wall of Steve's cubicle. He was fresh from the field, where he worked on one of SHIELD's strike teams. Steve, on the other hand, was an analyst for SHIELD, and worked in one of the many cubicle farms SHIELD had.

Steve raised a finger and didn't look up. He'd finally gotten the stereopair of photos to cooperate with his eyes, and there was something there…

Ten minutes later, Steve raised his head. Bucky was sitting on the floor, his boots on the opposite side of the doorway to the cubicle, and his Kindle open as he read. Steve tucked away the photographs in his safe and locked it, then pulled his messenger bag out of the drawer he stored it in, then tucked his work shoes in the drawer and pulled on his sneakers. Finally, he stood, pushed his chair in, and turned off his work lights. He turned, and Bucky was standing there, holding his coat for him. Steve grimaced and let Bucky help him put the coat on.

"Okay, ready," Steve said.

"Nope," Bucky said, and proceeded to wrap Steve's scarf around his neck and pull his beanie over his head.

"Bucky…"

"Nope, it's cold enough to freeze the balls off a bull out there. You're bundling up. Your mom will kill me if I let you get sick," Bucky told him, holding out his mittens.

Steve chuckled and pulled the mittens on. His mom wouldn't really kill Bucky, she loved him like a son, but she would have strong words for him. 

They walked toward the elevator. As they passed the copier, two women were standing over it, one running her copies and the other waiting for her turn. One of the women said something, but Steve couldn't hear with the beanie pulled over his hearing aid. He glanced over at Bucky, but he was looking straight ahead and wouldn't meet Steve's eyes.

They moved into the elevator. It was pretty crowded, and Bucky pulled Steve back against him so he didn't get crushed. This had the advantage that when they arrived at the ground floor, Steve was the first one out. Bucky moved from behind him to beside him, and they headed out.

It was _cold_. Bucky had not exaggerated. Steve pulled his scarf over his mouth, letting the wool help warm the air before it hit his lungs. Bucky led the way to the subway. It was easier to breath down on the platform, but it was still cold. They got on the car and fortunately, it wasn't too crowded yet. There were a couple of seats open, and Bucky raised his eyebrows until Steve took one. Of course, at the next stop, Steve offered it to an older woman, and Bucky shook his head and pulled Steve over to one of the poles, standing behind him.

"I can do the overhead straps, Bucky," Steve protested.

"Sure, that dislocated shoulder was totally an accident," Bucky drawled.

Steve grumbled, but used the pole and Bucky's body to brace himself against the jerking of the subway train.

They finally got over to Brooklyn and walked to their apartment, which was the top floor of a three story home. It had been divided into apartments years ago. Bucky loved it because they had access to the roof, and he loved going up there. Steve loved it because the huge windows let in light, and he could paint without worrying about setting up lights.

They pulled off their coats, hats, and scarves, handing them on the coat tree Bucky had found and refurbished. Shoes and boots were untied and placed on the mat next to the coat tree. Steve put his slippers on, while Bucky walked around in his stocking feet.

The heat was set to automatically warm the apartment, and it was the perfect, lovely warmth. Steve coughed a little bit, but it was just the adjustment from the outdoors. Bucky headed to the kitchen and began pulling out ingredients to cook their supper.

"What are we having?" Steve asked, coming over once he'd put his bag in its place.

"Italian?" Bucky asked.

"Sounds great," Steve replied.

Bucky promptly started a large pot of salted water, then pulled out the cutting board and began chopping vegetables. Steve went into their pantry and found the gluten-free pasta and the Italian season that he wasn't allergic to and set them by the stove. He then pulled out a skillet and the olive oil and began warming the oil. He reached into the freezer and pulled out frozen package of his mom's homemade spaghetti sauce, putting it on a bowl and covering it with a paper towel, then setting it in the microwave and starting the defrost cycle.

He turned back to the skillet, where Bucky was scraping the zucchini and squash coins into the hot oil. Steve sprinkled them with the Italian seasoning and stirred them.

Bucky moved over to the boiling water and dumped the pasta in, turning the heat down slightly and stirring it every minute or so. Between stirring, he set the silverware and glasses on the table, reserving the plates for them to load up the food.

Everything was done within a couple of minutes. Bucky drained the pasta and scooped it out on the plates, then retrieved the sauce and ladled it over the pasta. Steve scooped out the vegetables and put them on the plate, and Bucky carried the plates to the table.

Once they were seated, Steve asked, "So, what did they say?"

"Who?" Bucky asked.

Steve gave him the look. Bucky folded.

"They were saying the UST was getting out of control."

"UST? What is UST?" Steve asked.

Bucky laughed, although it sounded choked. "It's a fandom term. It means unrequited sexual tension."

That didn't clear anything up. Steve shrugged, still looking at Bucky. Bucky just looked back, his face expressionless.

"Who?" Steve finally asked.

"They were talking about us," Bucky told him, still expressionless.

Steve blushed. It was an awful one, he could feel the heat of it down his chest and back. His face felt as if it were on fire.

"Yeah," Bucky said, "that's what I thought. Eat your supper, Steve." He began forking his pasta into his mouth.

"Wait. Bucky, what do you mean?" Steve asked plaintively.

Bucky swallowed, still staring at his plate, and said, "I meant that you're embarrassed that anyone would think that about us, and besides, you're straight and have no interest in guys, so it's doubly embarrassing that anyone would say something like that."

"I'm as straight as Doyers Street," Steve said.

Bucky looked up at that, and Steve couldn't breath for the hope Bucky was showing him. He forced himself to finish.

"And I always thought you were embarrassed by me," Steve gasped out.

Bucky stood and pulled Steve to his feet, bending his head and pressing a quick kiss to Steve's lips before pulling back and looking at him. Steve grabbed his shirt and pulled him back for a longer, deeper kiss.

Bucky finally pulled back, saying, "Much as I'm loving this, you have to eat."

Steve was about to protest, but Bucky's face told him not to try. Once Steve had sat down, Bucky pulled his plate over from opposite Steve to next to him, and offered his hand. Steve grinned and they held hands as they ate.

The next morning, the same two women were near the coffee pot, and Bucky couldn't resist telling them thanks.

"What for?" one asked.

"We no longer have UST, and it's all your fault," Bucky said cheerfully, herding Steve toward his cubicle.

~fin


End file.
